urn:taro:utexas.cah.01857A Guide to the Nathaniel Townsend Papers, 1821-1865Original EAD encoding by Sarah Powell according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing
Instructions. August 2010Finding aid written in English.
Descriptive Summary
Townsend, Nathaniel, 1804-1864Townsend, Nathaniel, Papers1821-1865Materials are written in English.1 ft. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History,
University of Texas at AustinCorrespondence, letterpresses,
daybooks, and account books comprise the Nathaniel Townsend Papers, 1821-1865,
documenting Townsend’s career and business in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Austin,
Texas.
Biographical Note

Nathaniel Townsend (1804-1864) moved to Natchez, Mississippi in 1828 to live with his
brother after unspecified health issues required that he depart his home state of
New York. He married Maria Roach in 1829, with whom he had four children. After
meeting Stephen F. Austin on a trip to St. Louis, Missouri, the Townsend family
moved to San Felipe de Austin.

Following the formation of the Republic of Texas, President Sam Houston named
Townsend consul at New Orleans, where he served from 1837 to 1838. During this time,
his wife passed away. The next year, Townsend moved to Austin, where he opened a
general store to replace the one burned by the Mexican Army in March 1836. While
visiting his children at their school in the East in 1847, he married Angeline
Townsend of Williamstown, Massachusetts, and the family returned to New Orleans for
three years. In 1850, Townsend moved back to Austin and opened a merchandising
business; however, by the time of the Civil War, failing health drove him to return
to New York.

Correspondence, letterpress book, daybooks, and account books comprise the Nathaniel
Townsend Papers, 1821-1865. The collection concerns Nathaniel’s career, relating to
his land deals, lawsuits over lands, orders for merchandise for his business, and
the letters he exchanged with a number of personal acquaintances such as the
merchants Robert Mitchell Forbes and James Cochran and plantation owner John Hunter
Herndon.

Nathaniel Townsend Papers, 1821-1865, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History,
University of Texas at Austin.

Related Material

Blackburn-Townsend Family Papers

George F. Townsend Papers

William A. Blackburn Papers

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the
National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe
Center’s “History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project,” 2009-2011.